


Savior

by BlindPriestess



Category: The War at Home
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 15:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17531456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlindPriestess/pseuds/BlindPriestess
Summary: Larry saves Kenny from a bully, and they discover their feelings for each other.





	Savior

All of Tuesday, Larry was looking forward to his chess club meeting and being able to play with his friends. It was one of the rare times he could really let loose and have fun without being mocked for being nerdy. Everyone in chess club could sympathize, so Tuesday afternoons in Mr. Jones’s room were like an oasis. Ever since Larry became president, he had tried making improvements, like getting a new board for everyone, and trying to improve the chess club’s image to the rest of the school. The last one hadn’t ended up working out well, but now Larry knew not to approach the jocks without an airtight escape plan. It was 3:32 and Larry was already in the classroom, waiting on the other members. He was especially excited today because Kenny and him had found a new move the last time they had played together, and wanted to show the club. Slowly, the other members began to arrive. They began to set up the boards and chat with one another, but ten minutes had passed and Larry still didn’t see his vice Kenny. It was odd for him as he was a punctual and responsible, and Larry had seen him all day at school. He was also excited to show everyone the new move, since he discovered it. Larry went around the club and asked if anyone had seen him, but no one had. Larry knew his best friend wouldn’t have left school without telling him, since they rode home together. His stomach felt like it was in knots, and he left the classroom, promising to be back in a second. 

Kenny had had a difficult time at school ever since coming out. The bullies at school had a lot of material to work with an Iranian gay nerd, and Kenny was careful to avoid them the best he could. He was jeered at constantly, and found notes stuffed into his backpack and notes that he wouldn’t let Larry read. Sometimes, it even got psychical when Kenny got pushed into lockers or shoved with elbows and shoulders. Kenny tried to ignore them, even at Larry’s insistence to tell someone and get them in trouble. Kenny had always said it would just cause more problems, but Larry was doubtful. They would only get away with more the more Kenny let it go on.

As he walked past the locker room, Larry thought he heard a sound. It almost sounded like a cry, and then he heard a voice talking, low and aggressive. He felt adrenaline rush through him as he opened the door slowly, trying to hear more before bursting in. The voice was still hushed, and was punctuated by a muffled sound. A sob echoed, and Larry realized he recognized the voice with a sick lurch of his stomach. 

Larry rushed forward, and found a horrifying scene before him. His best friend Kenny was being pinned against the lockers by a kid Larry recognized from the wrestling team, Ryan Lucas. Kenny was crying, and trying to turn away, but Ryan gripped his shoulder and had his other hand raised and curled in a fist. He leaned close and was whispering fiercely into Kenny’s ear. Larry felt his face heat up as anger drove through his body. His breath shaking, he stepped up and yelled out to get Ryan’s attention, voice cracking. The kid turned around to regard him, face pinched up in a scowl, still holding onto Kenny’s shirt like a vice. Kenny also noticed him, and his eyes went wide with shock. He looked fearful, but Larry thought it was fear for him. 

“Larry!” He shouted out, but Ryan gave him a shake, knocking his head back against the locker. Larry took a deep breath and closed his fists, trying to summon a steady voice.

“Let Kenny go.” He commanded, watching Ryan carefully. The bully just smirked in response, not intimidated at all.

“Aw, I didn’t know you got yourself a boyfriend.” He mocked, turning to address Kenny. “What’s he gonna do, huh?”

“Ryan, please leave him alone.” Kenny begged, but Ryan dug his fist into Kenny’s side, making him cry out again. Larry saw red.

“Let him go!” He screamed, and reached out to pry Ryan’s hands off of Kenny. Ryan finally released Kenny, who fell to the floor, trying to back away from them. Ryan turned to Larry, and looked full of rage. For a second, Larry regretted his actions, but when he glanced down to the floor where Kenny laid curled up and frightened, he managed to steel himself. Ryan went in for a punch, and Larry stumbled to the left to dodge it. Larry didn’t know even the basics of a fight. The most he had done was watching action movies and play Dungeons and Dragons. Ryan however was an expert in fighting, and had won awards from his competitions. He was one of the best fighters in school, and slow, nerdy Larry was trying to beat him. 

Ryan whirled back around, and started forward, arms out to grapple Larry. Larry tried to dodge again, but Ryan was ready for it and went with him. His arms wrapped around him like steel bands, and they went to the floor. Larry heard a scream as he struggled uselessly in his grip, and suddenly felt the arms around him loosen. He heard Ryan grunting, and then he was free, sprawled on the tile floor. He turned his head and saw Ryan, with his face red and scratched, advancing onto Kenny again, who looked terrified. Slowly, he was able to piece together that Kenny had attacked Ryan to get him off of Larry. But his efforts were nearly in vain as Ryan pulled him up by his shirt, and cocked a fist back. Kenny was already flinching, and suddenly Larry found himself up again and aiming his drawn back fist right to Ryan’s temple. It was a direct hit, and Larry’s had exploded into pain like he had hit a brick wall. Ryan oofed, and dropped Kenny back to the ground roughly. Slowly, he stumbled back and finally fell over a bench, and Larry felt like he was watching it in slow motion, still panicking over it. When Ryan didn’t get up again, Larry rushed to Kenny’s side where he was crumpled on the floor. 

“Oh, my god Kenny, are you okay?” He breathed out, reaching out to shake him. Kenny gasped from the contact and he drew his hands back hurriedly. “What happened?”

Kenny tried sitting up, and Larry helped him as he winced. “I was walking to the meeting, and Ryan pulled me in here. He started hitting me, and-“ 

Larry could hear his voice starting to catch, and tried to calm him down. “Hey, it’s okay. He can’t do anything anymore.”

“Are you sure?” Kenny sniffed, looking over to Ryan’s immobile body. “He could get up at any minute.”

Larry couldn’t argue with that, and pulled Kenny up to his feet, wrapping an arm around him to keep him steady. “Yeah, we should probably get out here.” He agreed, starting out of the locker room. “Can you ride your bike home?”

“Sure.” Kenny said, then paused. “What about the club?” 

“They’ll be fine.” Larry assured him.

They made it out to the bike rack, and Larry watched Kenny climbed unstablely onto his bike. But he didn’t complain, and Larry tried biking home as fast as possible. 

“My parents are out of town.” Kenny said as they got to their driveways. “They’re visiting family this week and I can’t miss school.” 

“Well, should we call them?” Larry asked, and Kenny shook his head aggressively. 

“They won’t care, or worse, say I deserved it. It’s fine.”

Larry felt sick with that confession. He knew his parents could be mean, but if he got beat up, they would at least try to care for him and go to the school. Larry wondered how often Kenny had this happen and tried going to his parents, only to be turned away.

“Well, my parents won’t be home for a couple hours.” Larry said, frowning. He looked over Kenny again. His face was beginning to bruise, and he could only imagine what the rest of him looked like. “Let’s go in your house.”

Kenny looked unsure, but unlocked it and let Larry walk in. Larry had been to the Al Bahir’s house before, but Kenny preferred to stay at the Gold’s. Now of course Larry knew why, but he still knew his way around pretty well. He headed straight for the freezer, and found an ice pack buried under piles of frozen food.

“Let’s go up to your room.” Larry said, and they made their way up the steps. Kenny was strangely silent, and when they reached his room he sat heavily on his bed. Larry dragged up a chair to sit in front of him, and when he looked up Kenny’s eyes were misty. Larry felt awful, and reached out to touch Kenny’s knee.

“What happened?” He asked again, trying to sound gentle. Kenny swallowed, and when he began talking, his voice sounded thin.

“He pulled me in, and he started saying awful things to me. They were really terrible, Larry.” His voice hitched, and Larry tightened his grip. “He said he’d do things to me the next time he saw me, and just said the most racist, homophobic things... He’s the worst!” 

“Hey,” Larry tried to soothe him. “We’re gonna deal with him, okay? But he can’t hurt you here. You’re safe.”

Kenny looked up, and Larry saw the tear tracks running down his bruised cheek. “Thank you, Larry.”

“It’s no problem, Kenny. I’ll never let him hurt you again.” Larry grabbed Kenny’s hand, running his thumb over it. Larry realized that that was probably more intimate than friends usually were with each other, but he couldn’t find himself able to draw himself back. 

“I’m sorry about what he said about you.” Kenny mumbled, and Larry felt confused.

“He said something about me? When?” He asked, and Kenny ducked his head down again.

“About... how you were my boyfriend.” He muttered. 

“Oh.” Larry replied, surprised. He barely remembered that from the beginning as he started to intervene. “Well, maybe he wasn’t wrong.” He immediately flushed from his own words, and Kenny breathed in sharply.

“Oh.” Larry replied, surprised. He barely remembered that from the beginning as he started to intervene. “Well, maybe he wasn’t wrong.” He immediately flushed from his own words, and Kenny breathed in sharply.

“Really?” Kenny said in a small voice, and Larry found himself smiling, and gripped his hand tighter. 

“Yeah, of course.” Kenny finally looked up again, and he was grinning too, even with tears. Larry felt a rush of affection for his best friend, now boyfriend, and stood up, pulling him into a tight hug. Kenny nuzzled his face into his neck, but after a second let out a sound of pain. 

“You’re crushing me, Lare.” 

“Oh, sorry.” Larry released him sheepishly, but Kenny kept him close, smiling up at him.

“I love you, Khaleel.” Larry found himself saying, quick and stuttered. He felt his cheeks grow warm again, but this time not from embarrassment. Kenny looked surprised at hearing his real name, and laughed happily.

“I love you, too.” Kenny chuckled, and Larry couldn’t help himself for leaning down to kiss him.


End file.
